Booking.com - Don't part pay!

david100351

Booking.com (booking dot com) have cancelled my booking and kept a 350 Euro cancellation fee! - this was my own doing, but as you will see, easily done.
I part paid for a holiday by credit card. My credit card was then scammed elsewhere, and replaced by the credit card company. I didn't think to update the details on the booking.com website, my bad.
Booking.com sent me an email just after midnight on the day the second payment was due telling me about the problem, and giving me until the following evening to sort it out.

Unfortunately - am I the only one? - I don't check my emails every single day, and missed their deadline, whereupon they cancelled the booking and kept the deposit. No phone call, text, nothing.
The first I knew was when the hotel owner sent me a text to say that he had had this problem with booking.com before, and had I really wanted to cancel.

So my advice is, don't part-pay. If anything goes wrong you can lose it. Pay the lot up front, or make sure the cancellation rights are in your favour.

jpsartre

Shouldn't the title of the thread be: "Don't make a deposit, cancel your card and then not bother updating the details with the company you owe money"?

PompeyPete

There's quite a few little glitches that could potentially happen with a booking on Booking.com.

It's important that before you press the BOOK button that you're completely happy with the terms and conditions for that particular booking, as they're all different.

I've had a few problems recently, but because I try to be on the ball I've contacted Booking.com immediately. They were very good, and sorted the issues out without fuss, I even got a no quibble financial gesture with one booking, where I'd paid Booking.com [Amsterdam] in advance at the time of booking, and also ended up paying the hotel when we arrived.

I had a problem in Bucharest a few weeks ago, where the hotel tried to take my money as agreed a few days before arrival, but the Mastercard or Visa line with Romania had broken down. That automatically translated as my card wouldn't work. I got an e-mail from Booking.com with the 24 hour cancellation warning. I updated my card details, even though it was the same. When we arrived at the Ibis Hotel in Bucharest, lo and behold they had nor record of our booking, even though I had the confirmation e-mail in my hand. No problem, it happens all the time, and we had the same problem 3 weeks later when we stayed there for our last night. They gave us a small discount, and an upgrade.

Bottom line for us. I'm completely happy with Booking.com, but very careful also.

koalakoala

All that problems and you're happy with them??

PompeyPete

koalakoala wrote: »

All that problems and you're happy with them??

The problem in Bucharest could have happened anywhere. It's not Booking.com's fault if the Visa link crashed.

The other problem was a one-off, at least it is my case, and Booking.com sorted it out quickly, and made a financial gesture.

Is any 3rd Party perfect.....Doubt it.

budgetflyer

why book bia Booking.com instead of direct via Accor? was it cheaper

PompeyPete

budgetflyer wrote: »

why book bia Booking.com instead of direct via Accor? was it cheaper

I've never thought of comparing with Accor, so can't really answer the question. But I've made a note for the future.....thanks.

david100351

jpsartre wrote: »

Shouldn't the title of the thread be: "Don't make a deposit, cancel your card and then not bother updating the details with the company you owe money"?

I couldn't find a font small enough to fit that in.

As long as someone out there saves a bit of cash by not making the same mistake I did, that's what we're here for :A.


It also helps me to vent a bit of anger and frustration.



Anyway, do you really think that requiring a response in less than 48 hours (or losing $350 from a holiday costing $1200) is reasonable practice?



You see, I don't. Booking.com send me emails all the time, so why not one a week before saying "we're taking the balance from card ending *** in a few days, so make sure it's still valid or we'll take your deposit anyway" like most online players do.

david100351

PompeyPete wrote: »

I had a problem in Bucharest a few weeks ago, where the hotel tried to take my money as agreed a few days before arrival, but the Mastercard or Visa line with Romania had broken down. That automatically translated as my card wouldn't work. I got an e-mail from Booking.com with the 24 hour cancellation warning. I updated my card details, even though it was the same....No problem, it happens all the time,

Not with any other company. When the credit card company reissued me with a new card after my original had been scammed, there were a couple of sites who had my card details on file and I had forgotten to alter. None of those expected a 24-48 hour response. I think Hostgator gave me around 7 days.